Self-Driving Cars Coming to Europe in 2026-2027

Your morning commute could look radically different in just two years, and the technology making it possible just passed a major safety milestone.

Nvidia announced it has developed AI software that will power self-driving cars across Europe, with Level 2+ autonomous vehicles expected by late 2026 and fully autonomous Level 4 cars potentially arriving in 2027. Ali Kani, vice president of Nvidia's automotive team, shared the timeline in a recent interview with Euronews Next.

Level 2+ means your car can steer, brake, and accelerate on its own, though you still need to watch the road. Level 4 takes it further: the car drives itself completely in certain conditions, and you don't need to be ready to take over.

The technology just earned a five-star safety rating from Europe's New Car Assessment Programme in the Mercedes-Benz CLA. That's a remarkable achievement for a first-time autonomous vehicle system.

What makes Nvidia's approach different is its dual safety system. While competitors focus on driving better than humans, Nvidia designed its software to prevent accidents entirely by running two programs simultaneously: one AI model that drives, and a separate safety stack that acts as a guardian.

"We have a Safety Guard built into the system," Kani explained. If one camera fails, other sensors take over, ensuring the car always has multiple ways to see the road.

The software can also adapt to different countries' driving laws. While the core AI model stays the same globally, the safety system adjusts to meet each nation's specific requirements, solving one of Europe's biggest regulatory challenges.

Nvidia isn't building its own cars. Instead, it's partnering with companies like Lucid, Uber, and Nuro for a new robotaxi alliance, while Mercedes-Benz will launch an advanced driver-assistance system in the U.S. this quarter before bringing it to Europe in Q2.

The Ripple Effect

The changes go beyond just transportation. Kani envisions cities redesigning themselves as parking needs decrease, creating more space for people to live and gather instead of storing vehicles.

Imagine reclaiming city centers from parking garages and using that land for parks, housing, or community spaces. Autonomous vehicles could drop you off and park themselves miles away, fundamentally reshaping urban planning.

The technology could also give back something precious: time. "I just feel like there are so many things we could do with our time if we had that," Kani said, imagining commuters reading, working, or simply relaxing instead of gripping a steering wheel.

Europe already allows Level 2 systems and has approved Level 3 for controlled conditions, so the regulatory path is opening. Major cities like London are already announcing trials to test how these systems perform in real-world conditions.

The future where your car becomes your mobile office, reading nook, or nap pod isn't decades away anymore.